The Soundtrack of Life
by dancechick307
Summary: The soundtrack of life is the sweet silent melody playing in the background every step you take. A series of oneshots all inspired by songs. Contains angsty, bittersweet, and romantic moments. Multiple pairings, such as Thuke and Percabeth.
1. Let There Be Light

**Author's Note: **_The soundtrack of life is the sweet silent melody playing in the background every step you take._

Ahh, I love that line.

If you're wondering, yes, I made it up myself. In fact, I liked it so much that I decided to use it as inspiration for writing a whole new series. This is a series of oneshots_ (bittersweet, angst-y, fluffy, all that jazz...)_ with multiple pairings _(Percabeth, Thuke...)._ Each oneshot is inspired by a song, hence the title: _The Soundtrack of Life._

**Explantation:** Since every oneshot is inspired by a song, I will have a quote or line from that particular song at the beginning of the story. Some of the lyrics are what inspired me in the first place, some just relate to the topic of the oneshot really well, and some are kind of random, but relate to the particular character I'm writing about.

Confused yet?

Okay, well along with that, I was so excited about this that I started to get creative. Haha, so every chapter/oneshot is listed as a "track", since this is_ The Sound"track"of Life_. And the "artist" is the main character in the oneshot. You with me?

Okay, that's all for now! Happy Reading!

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**The Soundtrack of Life**

_**by: dancechick307**_

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Track 1: Let There Be Light

Artist: Percy Jackson

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_When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight._

-It Ends Tonight, All-American Rejects

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He's restless.

His heart. It's pounding, threatening to burst out of his chest any moment, beating out it's own rhythmic pattern, drowning in a heavy tone, and sending an ache that reaches his toes.

His legs. They're trembling, unable to hold his weight up anymore, quivering violently, ready to give out as soon as a hard enough gust of wind is thrown against them.

His mind. It's wandering, swimming in memories, never settling on a specific thought for too long, racing ahead quickly, determined not to let a dooming truth catch up to it, and trying to find an ounce of peace somewhere to stay.

He looks up at the sky. It's covered in a thick blanket of big black clouds threatening to pour down rain. Flashes of lightning spark through the clouds so quickly that you'd miss them in the blink of an eye. The loud booming thunder seems to be sending a warning – or is it a signal?

The sea violently thrashes against the sand. The once-bright-blue water now has turned into a deadly gray as though it's been poisoned.

The wind lashes out. It whips at the bark of trees, ready to tear them from their roots. It strikes against his face sending a series of chills down his back. It makes an audible hiss as it twirls itself around buildings and houses and stirs up the ocean.

The world is at war.

There is trouble brewing.

And he is the one destined to stop it.

His hand comes down onto the sand hard. He curls it into a fist, squeezing the sand in between his fingers. He shuts his eyes and his heart swells up in sadness. At times like these, the only thing he feels like doing is walking into the water and letting the depths of the ocean swallow him whole, so he could not resurface and the fate of the world would no longer be at his fingertips.

He didn't ask for this.

Wouldn't it be easier - _so much easier _- to just give up? To raise that white flag. To allow the bad to stain the white until it completely transformed, leaving nothing but darkness behind.

Yes, it would be. But, no, he couldn't. He couldn't just give up.

Not for his mother who is waiting on the sidelines for him, cheering him on, chanting his name louder than anyone else.

Not for a special satyr he knows, who is willing to travel to the Underworld, run into a twisting twining maze, and put up with a big scary one-eyed monster if it means being there for his best friend.

Not for Chiron, his teacher, the advice-giver, the one who seems to have all the answers, the one who has taught him everything and told him countless times that he will be the hero everyone expects him to.

Not for his brother, his blood-kin, the big, loving and very strong Cyclops, Tyson.

Not even for his father, who claimed him, who truly cares, who watches carefully from the shadows every single step along the way.

Not for his friends at camp. Not for humankind.

Not for the fair-haired girl who means the world to him.

No, he will not give up. He will stand strong. He will stand against all odds. He will rise up, tall and mighty, and give this battle his best hit. He will stand til the end on the good side, the light side, the side that represents the world.

And he will win. He will strike like no one has ever seen. His strength will put Hercules to shame and his bravery will make Achilles fear. And he would do this for Olympia, for the world, for – for _her._

For her, who makes his world spin round.

For her, who makes his heart skip a beat.

For her, who makes his mind cloudy with one smile.

For her, he will defeat the ones who threaten to destroy their world and stand in between her and harm's way.

And when the time comes, when the darkness takes its final strike, when the entire state of the world is rocking on edge, when many have already died in battle, he will conquer the dark and bring back the light and allow peace to ring from every corner, if only for a moment.

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**Author's Note:** Ta-da! What do you think? It was kind of short, I know, but I'm pretty happy with it...

Reviews make me happy! I love hearing your thoughts and just getting some feedback on how I'm doing.

Thanks a million :)


	2. Take Me Away

**The Soundtrack of Life**

_**by: dancechick307**_

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Track 2: Take Me Away

Artist: Luke Castellan

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_Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface._

-Numb, Linkin' Park

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He sprints through his room, ripping down anything that stands in his way, like a mad man. He reaches the closet at the back of the room, and the minute his hand slips onto the cold brass feel of the knob, he escapes into a routine far too familiar now.

He slowly opens the door and ducks below the shelf inside the closet, scrunching underneath it and pulling his knobby knees to his chest. He rests his chin on the top of his knees, trying to concentrate on breathing slowly, calmly, and quietly. He practices on blending into the darkness, belonging to the shadows. Despite how silent he tries to be, his heart pounds loudly in his chest revealing how truly scared he is. He reaches one arm out and pulls the door shut, flinching at the loud sound it makes at it closes.

Swallowed up in darkness, he tries to clear his mind. But the rustle outside, the sound of heavy footsteps, and the raspy voice of a woman, distract him and flood his mind with images of those piercing glowing eyes. He squeezes his eyes tight as though it would help get rid of the frightening images flashing through his head. Perspiration builds up on the back of his neck as he hugs his knees tighter to himself, set on trying to be as small as possible.

It has been at least an hour now and she still hasn't found him.

Good. He'll be safe here, in his little hideout. Reaching his arm above his head, he feels around in the darkness for a long string to turn on the light above his head. The light is dim and will surely not give him away, or at least this is what he says to himself.

He relaxes a bit, now that the light is on and the buzz sound of the television downstairs is heard. He slides himself back, going deeper into the small closet. Suddenly his head hits the shelf above him and the impact sends a cardboard box full of books crashing down.

His sharp reflexes kick in and he catches the heavy box in his hands. He sighs and tries to balance the big box, but fails and watches its content spill onto the floor. The box is full of children's books. He slowly brushes his hand across the dusty cover of the one that's fallen nearest to him. He picks it up delicately as though the book is made of glass and holds it close to his face. He turns the pages with care, absorbing every picture on the pages. His dyslexia prevents him from being able to read the words, but he can see fine and understands what the story is about just by looking at the pictures.

He flips through the book faster and faster now, no longer being careful of the pages. He's mad now.

He hates this book.

He hates everything about it. He hates the pictures. He hates the words even though they jump off the pages before he can read them. He hates the colors that paint each picture. He hates the author of the book. He hates the characters in it. But most of all, he hates how it reminds him of something he doesn't have. A family.

The last page in the book contains only an illustration, no words, because after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.

And this picture is worth everything to the little boy hiding in the closet. It's his hopes, his dreams, the little fantasy that plays over and over again in his head. This picture shows a mom, a dad, and a young boy sitting on a red-checkered blanket having a picnic. The mom's blue eyes are focused on her son and her hand is resting on his shoulder while her other hand is resting on her husband's hand. The dad has a football tucked underneath his arm and his hand is on the boy's other shoulder. The boy has his arms wrapped around a golden retriever. A lunch including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and watermelon and lemonade is set out in front of them. The sun is shining above and the sky is a bright blue.

This is the picture of a perfect family.

The boy, wrapped in his own thoughts, stares at this picture and his eyes glaze over with a sense of longing. His heart beats out a unsteady tune and his breathing is hoarse as a lump forms in his throat. He runs his small hands over the page, wishing to be sucked into the book. Suddenly the door of the closet is flung open and bumps him in the knee. He drops the book and his eyes go wide with fear. He's too frightened to pay attention to his throbbing knee.

"I found you!" the woman standing over him yells cheerfully. She laughs loudly and he cringes. He wants to get away, to hide back into the shadows of his little closet, and to close his eyes and pretend that he lives a much different life.

She tugs at his arms, puling him up, and he follows her, despite his wishes, out of the closet. She smiles brightly down at him, and he doesn't even attempt to return the smile. It won't make a difference.

His eyes study her, watching her every move, trying to decide what state she is in. Her eyes aren't glowing; he notes relieved. Yet as his nerves calm down a bit, a voice, a quiet one, asks him what other normal boy has to analyze his own mother and make sure if she's still dangerous or not?

He wants to snap back at the voice. He wants to tell it that he's just making sure whether she's sick or not because his father will home soon to take them out to dinner at a nice restaurant where all the other normal families go on a Friday night. But he can't. Because it's a lie.

So instead he swallows hard and shakes his head slightly as though to get rid of the voice, and he looks up at his mother with renewed hope.

"Mommy?" He says slowly, looking up into her eyes, hoping, hoping so hard that she will come back to him.

"Oh, nice to meet you!" She cries, pulling him into a tight hug. His head ducks into her chest and she rests her cheek on the top of his head. He can hear her heart beating beneath her clothes. His hope is shattered.

He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes violently in his mother's arms as hot, steaming tears roll down his face. He clenches his hands into fists.

He tries to picture himself somewhere else. Somewhere far away.

Somewhere, anywhere, but here.

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading everyone! Reviews are always appreciated :)

Oh and thanks again to everyone who reviewed last chapter!

xoxo


	3. A New Beginning

**The Soundtrack of Life**

**_by: dancechick307_**

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Track 3: A New Beginning

Artist: Silena Beauregard

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_Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile. The precious moments all lost in the tide, yeah. They're swept away and nothing is what it seems._

-Listen to Your Heart, DHT featuring Edmee

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_It's not over. I'll try to do it right this time around. _

-It's Not Over, Chris Daughtry

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She sits on top of the hill. Watching. Listening.

To the campers below working fiercely to prepare for the battle coming. The battle that either ends their lives or destroys what has threatened the state of the world.

She's supposed to be down there too, working on her archery and sword fighting, listening to the tactics and strategies of the Athena campers. But she can't. Not when she feels like this. Not when her heart feels as though it doesn't belong in her chest. Not when she when she knows that she'll never see His face again.

That one thought that dares mention His memory brings tears to her eyes. She has tried to ignore the rush of feelings that have followed his - his deat-

No, she can't say it. She can't even_ think _it. Because thinking it or saying it out loud would only make it seem more real.

And as more tears escape her glittered eyes and roll down her pronounced cheekbones. She's left with no longer a melancholy taste in her mouth, but a bitter one. And she realizes, with surprise, that she's mad.

She's mad at Luke for tricking her into falling into a dark pit which she can't escape from. She's mad at the world for taking Him, so suddenly, so unexpectedly, right from underneath her nose and leaving her nothing but broken inside. But most of all she's mad at herself. She's mad for being a fool and believing that handsome son of Hermes in the first place. She's mad at the unforgettable and unforgivable things she stupidly has done. And she's mad that she can't, for once in her life, rise up when everything seems to be falling down. She needs to face the facts. She needs to accept the truth:

He's gone.

He is suddenly gone, torn out of her life, disappeared into thin air, taken away.

And he's left a hole, a big, dark, black hole in her heart that seems to be empty no matter how hard she tries to fill it up.

There is now a waterfall of salty tears pouring out from her eyes. She hugs her knees to her chest and closes her eyes. She needs to calm down.

She stays like this until all the campers and demigods have gone back to their cabins, until the sun has set, until the sky has turned pitch black and there is no moon visible to light it up, until she is left alone, all by herself, nothing but her broken heart and a blanket of black mourning over her.

Slowly she lifts her head up and opens her eyes. They feel dry, as though all that crying as completely sucked all the moisture from them. Shivers break out across her skin as a breeze blows through camp. She's freezing. Well, of course, she is; she's dressed in nothing but a tank top and shorts. But it doesn't matter.

Nothing does anymore. Not her life. Not her friends. Not her family. Not camp. Not even the stupid war.

Because she's done the unforgivable: she's killed the one person she has ever loved so dearly. And nothing, _nothing_, in the world will ever bring justice to that.

_It's over._

This phrase, this stupid, annoying, menacing phrase, rings her head over and over again; at first, simply a whisper, an echo, but gradually getting louder and louder, pounding in her head until she's positive her head is going to burst.

She is staring up at the moon-less night sky, empty and black, and is suddenly reminded of how it now resembles a specific organ that's bumping blood through her veins and keeping her alive.

But wait! Something catches her eye. A bright twinkle light. A glowing speck of shine. A gleaming ball of fire. A sign.

It's a star, the very first star that's visible tonight. It stands alone in the vast of the night sky; it shines brightly by itself.

Because even when everything may seem like it's bitter and broken forever, when you least expect it, you'll find that glimmer of hope, that signal of faith, that silver lining.

_It's not over._

Tomorrow she will wake up and get to classes with all her other brothers and sisters. Tomorrow she will practice her sword-fighting and not give up until her blade has ripped through ever dummy in the arena. Tomorrow she will practice her archery until every bow she shoots hits its target. Tomorrow she will lead her cabin with a newfound strength. Tomorrow she will be involved, she will know every single detail of their plan of attack, she will memorize the lines of defense, and she will defend their weak points. Tomorrow and every single day following tomorrow, she will work and sweat and do her freaking best for the coming war.

Because tomorrow, you see, is a new day. Tomorrow is a new beginning.

It's not over.

It has just begun.

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**Author's Note: **Ack, I know this update took forever, but I rewrote this chapter and edited it so many times, and yet, I don't like it that much! But I figured it would be mean to keep you guys waiting any longer, so I posted it anyway. Reviews are appreciated as is criticism and advice or suggestions!

Oh and let me just say, _Listen To Your Heart_ is possibly my all-time favorite song! :) So if you haven't listened to it, you better go do that NOW!

Thanks again !


	4. Longing to Belong

**The Soundtrack of Life**

**_by: dancechick307_**

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Track 4: Longing to Belong

Artist: Thalia Grace

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_I've been roaming around, always looking down at all I see. You know that I could use somebody. Someone like you._

-Use Somebody, Kings of Leon

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The sun. She could see it in the distance. An enormous ball of golden fire descending down, allowing the moon to take over the sky.

She could feel it. She could feel every last ray it shone. She could feel an overwhelming warmth from the sun slip into every creak of silence, surrounding her, drowning her in it's magnificent light.

Heck, she could practically taste it.

Standing up here, off the side of the mountain and looking down at the city below buzzing with life and getting the best view of the sunset possible was more than enough to fill Thaila's heart with a heavy happiness. She sighed contently and suddenly felt like laughing for no reason.

And yet.

There was a small, yet distinct, tug at her chest. A memory, an old memory, played in her head and triggered everything else. Suddenly, breathing was a hard task, something she had to concentrate on. Suddenly, a big lump was caught in her throat, one that refused to go away no matter how many times she swallowed. Suddenly, her legs gave out and she crumbled to her knees. Suddenly, everything hurt – her head, her legs, her stomach, her heart.

Her heart hurt.

Water. It was _everywhere,_ blinding her sight, flowing out uncontrollably from her eyes.

She tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down. Her chest heaved up and down and with every breath she felt as though she might break into a million pieces. But she didn't; she held herself together. It was the best she could do, given the circumstances.

The sky looked like a watercolor canvas. There were streaks of red and orange and yellow and even hues of purple blending together to create a rainbow like never before. This was the sight of nature at it's best. And, oh, how she longed to be able to share this beautiful sight with someone more than just herself.

Was that too much to ask?

Lady Artemis, herself, and the rest of the Hunters had come to this city while in hopes of recruiting more girls. They had lost a great deal to the Titan War. So they had all split up; something they rarely do. Artemis had a few things to sort out with her siblings and the Hunters separated into groups searching the city. As lieutenant, Thalia had decided to go by herself.

It was silly – no,_ absolutely absurd_ – to feel alone when she was apart of the Hunters. But simply being surrounded by other girls who shared devotion to the same goddess did not cure the feeling of being lonely. Yes, these girls were her sisters. She would battle til death, travel the world, and kill every being for them, but that was because she felt a need to. She had to protect her fellow Hunters and sisters. She had to.

Though sometimes she ached for something different. Someone who was around simply because they loved her, not because they were sworn under an oath. Someone who could spend hours listening, just listening to her thoughts, her deepest desires, and darkest secrets, not someone who would obey every order she gave.

But what hurt the most was that there was a time when she did have this, and suddenly it had been torn out of her very fingers and thrown so far away that it was now simply an old, dimming memory in the back of her head.

There was a time, but that time had long gone and what good did it do to sit around and ponder the what-ifs of life.

This was her life now. This is the path she had chosen and this was the path she would forever take.

Alone.

About a few weeks ago, the hunters had ventured to the outer skirts of Connecticut to track down a monster who had been causing chaos throughout the state: burning down buildings, ripping trees out from their roots in the park, attacking public buses. Rumors had made their way from Camp Half-Blood in New York all the way to them. Rumors which had mentioned Percy and Annabeth going to search for an apartment.

Together.

A few days ago, Greek gossip suggested that Nico had talked to both Silena and Beckendorf, that they seemed happier than they were on Earth. Because they were finally together again, reunited in the most peaceful place there was, Elysium.

And just last night, Lady Artemis was in the middle of telling the Hunters about a meeting she had with Council of Elders when she turned to Thalia and told her how she saw her old friend Grover. He had been hand-in-hand with Juniper, the nymph. And for once, he looked brave beyond compare.

Thalia had wondered if that bravery had come with being the new Lord of the Wild or simply being beside someone who loved him intensely.

Each story, each rumor, each tale shared about her old friends was just another stab in the chest. It was so hard sitting there, pretending like you didn't care as you heard about your friends growing up, falling in love, living their life without you. How much more could she take?

Every person had a breaking point. At night, when the rest of the Hunters were fast asleep and when insomnia flood through Thalia, she would wonder what her breaking point was.

She had been through a lot. More than anyone could dare to imagine. She had first been a part of a so-called "family." Although she couldn't call time spent with her alcoholic mother being part of a family. Then she did the thing so many kids have thought of doing, but never had the guts to – she ran away. She later met the first person she could trust her soul with, Luke. She and Luke had made the perfect duo, and Annabeth had soon accompanied them. This was the closest thing Thalia ever had to family.

Then she made the ultimate sacrifice – she gave her life up for her two best friends. Her father took pity and turned her into a tree.

Sometimes if she shuts her eyes and holds her breath, she can almost remember what being a tree felt like. She can feel time going by so slowly. She can feel her whole core and center being rooted to the ground. She can even sometimes vaguely feel a young boy, hugging her bark, his tears splashing her, and his voice calling out to her.

She had seen time go by without her. She had seen her best friend fall into a deep, dark hole and escape the light forever. She had dueled against him. She had seen death – the way it left someone's lungs first and left their eyes last. She had remembered the first day of immorality, the feeling of having all the time in the world. She remembered battling alongside her cousin and her best friend, the one who had grown up into a beautiful young lady without her around.

So what was her breaking point?

She had a few theories. Maybe it would be watching the Earth, its beautiful nature and peace, one day being destroyed forever. Maybe it would be seeing the end of the Olympians. Maybe she would break when all her friends - Percy, Annabeth, Nico, and Grover - had passed away, lived their life, and traveled to the Underworld while she was still stuck living above.

All of these seemed like reasonable answers, but there was one, one shameful thought, that had crept into her mind that seemed to be the correct one. She had tried to push it out, to ignore it, but it was determined to be heard. That thought had wondered if maybe Thalia Grace would finally break when she saw Luke reincarnate.

How many sleepless nights had she wondered what would happen if she one day came face to face with Luke in his second life? Would she even recognize him? Would he have maybe any trace of his old lifetimes? Would –

_No. No. No. No!_

How on _Earth_ could she even think about this? It was forbidden. Because Thalia knew that if she thought about this, about him, for too long, her old feelings would come back, perhaps even stronger than before. And that would be very bad. Because what good did it do to wish to be held in the arms of someone who was gone?

What good did it do to ache for the lips of someone whose time on Earth had ended?

What good did it do to dream about the alluring voice of a young boy when she knew that it could never, ever be?

Nothing. It did _no good,_ but bring tears, heartaches, and a bitter taste to her mouth.

And when this would happen, Thalia would curse at herself in Greek, mumbling about how she'd turned into such a softie. She would shut her eyes and let the darkness swallow her whole and try to clear her minds of all thoughts, in hopes that her dreams would carry her far, far away to a place where there were no heart aches, no what-ifs, no old painful memories of the past. Somewhere she would not be alone. Somewhere she finally belonged.

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**Author's Note: **This idea came to me so quickly! I was listening to the song on iTunes and singing to the lyrics when I suddenly thought:_ Hmmm, I bet Thalia feels lonely sometimes, and I bet she wishes there was someone she could always rely on... _My head was suddenly spinning with ideas and emotions and whatever, so I opened up Word and began typing away! And then ta-da! My chapter is born!

I actually put _Use Somebody_ on "repeat" on iTunes so that I could listen to it over and over again as I wrote, so now after hearing the freaking song for about, oh, a hundred times, I pretty sick of it!

Anyway, I love writing about Thalia, she was probably my favorite character. (Other than Percy and Annabeth, of course) She just has so much that's happened o her and I really can't imagine how she could've dealt with it all. I was actually really upset in _The Titan's Curse_ when she said she was going to join the Hunters; I felt like we didn't see enough of her in the later books, but whatever.

I know, most of my chapter so far have been bittersweet and angst-y so I'll try to mix it up next chapter! Feel free to give me any suggestions or pairings you'd like to read about!

That's enough ranting for now! Thanks so much for reading and please don't forget to review! Thanks :)


	5. No Chance, No Way

**The Soundtrack of Life**

**_by: dancechick307_**

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Track 5: No Chance, No Way

Artist: Annabeth Chase

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_No chance, no way, I won't say it. No, no. It's too cliché. I won't say I'm in love._

-I Won't Say I'm In Love, Meg From Disney's Hercules

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This couldn't be happening.

No, she wouldn't allow it. She just _couldn't._

But it was undeniable. The proof, the evidence, was right there, and no matter how much she wanted to, Annabeth Chase couldn't deny reality.

She was just standing in front of the mirror, the only mirror that hung on the wall of her cabin. Her half-brothers and sisters were off to their classes, but she didn't have any class at this time. She was already ahead of all of them; being at camp longer than even some of the counselors. So she had this hour off, as the rest of the demigods hurried to classes. The first few minutes she had spent reading in her bunk, but even she got bored after reading a book for the fifth time, so she had ended up brushing her hair in front of the mirror lost in a million thoughts.

As Annabeth ran the blue hairbrush through her curly blond hair, she found herself wondering if she was pretty. She cocked her head to the right and wondered if when some random guy, hmmm, say Percy Jackson, looked at her, if he his heart skipped a beat, if his hands got all sweaty, if his stomach twisted in a knot.

And then she froze. The reflection in the mirror mimicked her face– gray eyes bulged, mouth curved in an 'O', eyebrows raised high and arched - and the word mortified came to thought.

Yes, she was mortified. The blue hairbrush slipped out from underneath her numb fingers and she took two unsteady steps back away from the mirror.

She spun around, not wanting to see her reflection any more and crossed her arms across her chest.

Why? _Why?_ Why was she thinking about something like that? Why would she even care if Percy Jackson, that stupid Seaweed Brain who had just yesterday accidentally spilled his stupid blue soda all over her homework, thought she was pretty?

She'd spent too much time with Silena Beauregard from the Aphrodite cabin. Yes, that was it! She had spent way too much time with Silena and her ditzy half-sisters, and now, she was turning into a ditzy, designer-obsessed, romance-lover just like them.

Annabeth swallowed, and she instantly tasted pennies, bitter and stale. This only happened in two occasions: whenever she was about to vomit, or whenever she told a lie.

She walked slowly back to her bunk and climbed up onto her bed. The silence in the cabin that she usually appreciated when her siblings were away was now simply menacing. It echoed her thought, loud and clear, back to her. She laid her head and let it sink into the fluff of her pillow. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh loudly. She concentrated on relaxing her body, clearing her mind; something she had learned from those silly yoga videos the Stoll brothers had once stolen from a nearby Blockbuster as a bet.

Enveloped in a bubble she'd created of peaceful silence, she felt blissfully isolated from the rest of the world. But this was not to last too long.

Suddenly, loud voices from outside carried all the way to the top of her bunk where she'd been lying calmly shattered the quiet.

"Hey! Where's Percy? Have you seen him?"

Her heart stopped beating and her eyes flew open. It seemed like he was everywhere. She couldn't escape him. But what was more disturbing was that she didn't now if she wanted to anyway.

"I don't know! Why? We've already called dibs that he's on our team for capture the flag!"

Her heart did something funny in her chest. It sort of swelled up, even though Annabeth knew that was technically impossible. But that's what it felt like, her chest swallowed up in a weird, indescribable happy sensation.

"Aw, come on! That's not fair!"

"Boo-hoo!"

"Well, do you know where he is? I haven't seem him."

There was a pause, and Annabeth could imagine the other camper shrugging. The two voices were unfamiliar to her, but if she were to guess who they belonged to, she would've guessed that one of them was a demigod from the Hermes cabin. Who else would have the nerve to ditch class?

"I don't know. He's probably with Annabeth. Isn't he always with her?"

Her heart beated so loud that Annabeth was certain the two campers outside her cabin had heard it too. Her hand flung to her chest and she pressed down on her heart, as though this would help it from beating so furiously like this. A warm blush blossomed across her face. Gods, what was wrong with her?

The two campers laughed and their laughter rang loudly in Annabeth's ears. Her cheeks were practically giving off their own UV rays now.

"Yeah, he's got a pretty big crush on her."

Uh-oh. Breathe. Breathe, Annabeth!

More laughter. "Yeah, and she likes him too. It's kind of pathetic that everyone else notices and yet they don't."

Whoa! _What?!_

Annabeth hands curled into fists and she clenched her teeth. She was waiting for a wave of anger and frustration to wash over her, but it never came. Instead, her stomach clenched into a complicated knot and breathing became harder. Her chest was again drowning in the foreign happiness she had felt earlier. Her cheeks would've outshined the sun. Annabeth unclenched her fists and much to her dreadful surprise, they were sticky with sweat.

How could he do this to her?

How could _he_ have such an affect on _her_?

She sat up in her bed and looked around the cabin, wishing that there was someone else in here to distract her from these dangerous thoughts. That was a stupid question. She already knew the answer to it, but she dared not speak it aloud.

She liked him. A lot. More than she would ever admit.

And that's why the sight of him, his voice, the mere mention of him, sent her in such a frenzy.

She was just a poor girl desperately in…in…ugh, in love.

As Annabeth got up from her bed and climbed down, she decided that she would not let this stupid, over-used, fairytale-esque "in love" crap would not get the best of her. She was Annabeth Chase after all. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

No way. She would laugh at the face of love. She'd chase it down Half-Blood Hill with her bronze dagger waving in the air threateningly. She'd fight for her dignity and then, fight to never loose it.

Annabeth planted her feet in front of the stupid mirror that had caused this whole problem in the first place. She narrowed her eyes at her expression in the mirror and

"What the_ heck_ are you doing?" a voice sounded. It erupted in laughter, and Annabeth felt her cheeks flush a deep red again. She spun around and saw, leaning again the door of her cabin, none other than Percy Jackson. That Seaweed Brain.

"Shut up," she snapped at him. "Gods, what do you want?" Her voice came out harsher than she had meant it to, but it was all in an effort to keep her true thoughts to herself and to herself only.

Percy hands flew up defensively in front of him. "Are you in a bad mood? Because if you are, I'll save my butt and come back later."

She rolled her eyes. "What do –" she began, but never got to finish because Percy interrupted her.

"Did you do something different to your hair?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Annabeth blushed. _Um, I actually brushed it today? _"Uh, no," she answered cautiously. "Why?"

It was Percy's turn to blush. "Oh, I just – I, um, I like it. It looks good," he said quickly, stumbling over words. Annabeth raised her eyebrows at this. "I mean, not that it doesn't normally look good! I just – today –it-"

A laugh escaped her lips. It was amusing, and a bit relieving, to see him this nervous too. "Okay, whatever. Come on, Seaweed Brain, I think it's time to play Capture the Flag," she said, saving him for a moment of embarrassment. She grabbed her jacket off the nearby chair and headed towards the door.

He gave her lopsided smile that sent her heart soaring. "Okay, let's go," he replied, holding his hand out. Her eyes widened and before she could think twice, she felt her fingers sliding in between his, their skins creating a blaze the moment they touched.

She let him lead her out the cabin and towards the field where the rest of the campers were gathered. It felt good to have someone walk beside her. The feeling she got, the butterflies in her stomach, her elevated heart beat, was something totally new to her and yet, she wanted it even more.

She stole a glance at Percy's face, his dark, untamed hair, the still-present roundness in his face, not yet a full grown man and not a young boy anymore, but something in between, and her eyes finally found her favorite feature, those unforgettable memorizing blue-green eyes, the one feature that revealed his heritage. Her whole body was swallowed up in a bubble, a bubble of pure happiness and…and something else.

_Love?_

And at this moment, her worst fear came to life.

Annabeth Chase had fallen in love.

And, worst of all, she didn't really mind it.

In fact, she kind of liked it.

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**Author's Note:** Long time no see? Er, haha! Okay, here's my excuse this time: school started and it's completely taken over my life! I know, it sucks.

Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter! You guys make me happy!:)

Okay, inspriation for this chapter happened when I was watching Disney's Hercules (hey! you're_ never _too old for the classics!) and then Meg started singing _I Won't Say I'm In Love_ and I was like, "This is totally Annabeth!" Yeah, not only that, but now that silly song is stuck in my head! Grrr!

So as promised, isn't this chapter a lot more happier and light-hearted? But still profound at the same time.

Truth be told, the fan girl inside me was having so much fun writing this chapter that I hope it's not too fluffy for you!

That's all for now!

xoxo

dancechick307


	6. Come Closer

**The Soundtrack of Life**

**_by: dancechick307_**

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Track 6: Come Closer

Artist: Sally Jackson

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_Untouchable like a distant diamond sky, I'm reaching out…_

-Untouchable, Taylor Swift

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The sea has always been a source of comfort to Sally Jackson.

Especially now, as her own tears mix with the ocean's salt water and as the cool sea breeze wraps around her like a cashmere blanket, there is no place she'd rather be.

The sea. It was her father's glory. He used to spend endless afternoons, daydreaming, until Sally's mother called him in for dinner. She used to joke that he loved the ocean more than he loved his own wife.

These jokes aren't funny anymore. They're just empty and depressing and fill Sally's chest with a pain that can't be named.

Her parents were perished in a car crash on their way home from an out-of-town business meeting just a month ago. And here she was: Sally, the orphan.

She'd never been too close to her other family members; they were just distant names, familiar faces, tossed together to somehow form her family tree.

And now, when she needed someone here the most, she turned to her father's love, to her childhood playground, the nurturing sea. The vast waters that attracted tourists during the hot summer months were not a vacation getaway for her as they were for many, but a sense of home.

Home.

Where was that?

Sally did not know. So, in hopes of figuring this out, she revisited the ocean, day after day, as if magically one day the sea water itself would spit out the solution to all her problems and take all her cares away.

This never did happen. But, in one strange way, her prayers were answered. Sort of.

Her solution came in the form of a handsome young man, merely a few years older than her, with dark luscious hair and eyes as mysterious and old as the bottoms of the ocean and yet, as comforting as the sea's gentle waves.

He had this sort of aurora to him, call it a special "glow", and this itself made Sally fall hard for him. He was everything she had ever needed, but had had stripped away from her so suddenly – love, comfort, security, and compassion.

He was protective like the waves crushing hard against the sands of the shore as though to protect the ocean's precious secret beneath the surface.

He was strong like the distinct smell of salt that was tossed around the breeze and associated with the ocean.

He was beautiful like the clear, glistening blanket of water as the warm sun reflected its rays onto it.

He was mysterious like the sand that covers the mass of the beach hiding beneath it secrets of the past.

He was untouchable and unstoppable like the constant currents of the sea, the consistent way the ocean seemed to sway.

He was her world. And she was his. Or so he said.

And she wanted to believe him so badly. But she couldn't.

For she had seen the way his eyes glazed over with a century worth of sadness as she sometimes caught himself staring out at the sea. She had seen the way he was sometimes late – _just a millisecond late_ – in reciprocating her simplest actions such as slipping a hand around his or whispering I love you.

No matter how close she grew to him, no matter how much time,_ sweet, blissful time,_ passed between themselves, no matter how many times they exchanged words of love, there was one small part of him that always seemed distant to Sally. And she tried to capture it in the palms of her hands, she tried to lure this part of him to her just as she had lured him to herself, she tried to reach out and touch this part of him he kept under the surface, but she couldn't.

For how could she grasp a secret as big as the one he was keeping?

To be fair, he wanted to tell her. He wanted to let her know. He wanted. He wanted her.

But, you and I both know, that it doesn't matter. There some rules that can't be broken.

He broke his and his brothers' pact. Yes, he had an affair with a mortal woman. He loved her. And, eventually, he even told her his secret. He let her be a part of the world he had belonged to for so long. And even though he tried,_ he tried so hard_, to be fair and loving and to give her what she deserved, they both knew that they could not last.

For who was she to break the routine of a god who had lived for centuries making his way through mortal women?

He had told her he'd build a castle for her under the sea. He'd said he would stop the waves for her if she wanted. He said he'd conjure a whirlpool out of the ocean and carry her to the middle of it. He had told her that he'd call all the dolphins and have them swim her to wherever in the world she pleased to go. But time after time, she declined his offers.

In the end, though, he'd given her the best gift of all.

He'd given her a whole new world, a whole new life, a whole new identity.

He had given her a baby boy. And from that she experienced the beautiful, new world of motherhood.

And for that, she was forever in his debt.

She still goes to the ocean at times. She still dips her feet in the salt water and feels memories of love and passion flood back to her. She still relaxes at the smell of salt water and the waves crushing against the shore are still her own sweet lullaby.

She still thinks about him.

His mystic features, his chilling voice, his special "glow", his mysterious world she has now tangled herself into.

He was _something._ A blinding sun, a glistening diamond, an untouchable, unreachable star high in the sky, a mysterious golden light that changed her life forever.

No, he doesn't wake up every morning beside her. No, she never has to complain about the way he always leaves the toothpaste cap in the sink, how he always forgets to put the toilet seat down, how he always forgets to buy milk whenever they run out. No, he doesn't come home on Valentines' Day with a bouquet of flowers purchased from the local grocery market hastily because someone almost forgot _again_. On Christmas morning, there are no gifts under the tree labeled from him.

But he's still sort of there. Watching from somewhere above. Listening keenly. Loving her from a distant. Untouchable by his powerful aurora.

And although she knows sadly that time will probably erode his memory of her, that a hundred years from now he'll forget whether her eyes were brown or hazel, that soon she'll just be another name part of a long list; she knows that his role in her life was something magical, something special, something she will never really come to terms with.

He really was something, wasn't he?

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**Author's Note:** I'm trying to be nice and update quickly so I didn't have time to look over this chapter for grammar and spelling mistakes! Sorry if it the puncuation is horrible! If you catch any mistakes, just tell me and I'll owe you some virtual Reese's peanut butter cups! (or Twix bars if you're allergic to nuts :P )

Okay, whew! Yeah, I'm late. Way late. Sorry! Forgive me? :)

I've fallen way behind on my updates. I haven't updated _Life and Times of Percy & Annabeth _in, like, four weeks, and I haven't even touched _Tales form Under the Willow Tree_. Gah, I feel horrible.

But, whatever, enough rambling. How do you like my chapter? Personally, I love Sally and Poseidon. They're a mysterious couple, and I love writing about them.

The song is, yes, Taylor Swift! Don't make fun; she's amazing. :) I love_ Untouchable_; it's one of her new singles from her Platinum edition of Fearless. That's right people: PLATINUM! Woo-hoo!

Geez, this is a long author's note! Okay, I'll stop now. ;)

Review please. I love you all.


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